In Performance: Contemporary Monologues for Teens

This collection includes twenty-nine monologues each for male and female teen parts—all taken from contemporary plays (within the past twenty years). Many of the monologues represent minor characters in the play they come from—good practice in taking every role seriously, not just the leads. Each monologue is accompanied by a synopsis of the play it comes from, description of the character, given circumstances at the beginning of the monologue, and a list of questions to help the young actor understand and flesh out the character.

Apparently edgy contemporary theater is not my thing, so few of the monologues held much appeal to me, but the brief introductory material covers a wealth of information. It goes over how to select and prepare the monologue, what to expect the day of the audition, and even practical tips on how to behave professionally at rehearsals once you have secured a part. It is written in the tone of a seasoned professional mentoring someone less experienced, but still a professional. This is a great reference for any teen (or new adult) seriously looking to work in theater.